GDK 536: Preferential Treatment
In the Abyss realm, might was always right. When Crosius sensed the baseG.o.d strength aura exhibited by Han Shuo, all feelings of annoyance at Han Shuo for his tardiness were completely vacuumed away. His immediate expression of his stance had amply proven that Crosius’ place as master of War Demon Valley wasn’t solely a result of his outstanding strength!
The meeting hall remained in pin-drop silence even after Crosius uttered his last words. Every gaze from the six Rakshas and five visiting advisors was potent with appall. Of those, the feeling of dispiritment from powerlessness was obvious from the eyes of Brakyah. He was silently sighing in disappointment when he thought that he might not even have the opportunity to exact his revenge on Han Shuo.
Jasper the beauty, meanwhile, suddenly stopped her rapid scribbling and gazed at Han Shuo with glimmering eyes. She was pleasantly surprised.
In the realm of the Abyss, as long as one harbored great strength, gaining anyone’s respect was no task, not even an enemy’s!
Han Shuo had long clearly understood this law of the Abyss realm, hence he decided to do a little experiment on that chief of visiting advisors. Who knew that there would be such a sudden change and world of difference in Crosius’ att.i.tude towards Han Shuo.
With a calm, unruffled smile on his face, Han Shuo unhurriedly claimed his spot on the seat of the chief of visiting advisors. Just as he was about to open his mouth for a few words, the hermaphrodite creature, who sat opposite Han Shuo with its female side eyeing Han Shuo bitterly, said in a tone as though having been wronged, “Happy now? You can have the chief of visiting advisors’ seat from me… Hehe, a powerful man like you is very attractive to me…”
Gooseb.u.mps exploded on every inch of Han Shuo’s skin like land mines. Before he could reply, he seemed to recall something and immediately stood to his feet.
Crosius thought that Han Shuo was upset, and hastily asked, “Mister Han Shuo, is there something about the War Demon Valley not up to your satisfaction? No worries, when the meeting is over, I will arrange an expansive and secluded s.p.a.ce for your residence, in addition to providing you with beauties of all races. I can guarantee your total satisfaction.”
Han Shuo was stunned but soon after, he replied, all smiles, “In that case, many thanks to your Lords.h.i.+p,” He then lowered his head and looked at the chair that the hermaphrodite had previously occupied, revealing a look of antipathy, and said, “Erm, please replace this chair with another one.”
“Mister Han Shuo, you, you are such an unlikeable person. Me hate you. Hmph…,” the two-faced being denounced Han Shuo in humiliation and anger.
When Crosius saw the unsightly look on Han Shuo’s face, finding it somewhat laughable, he tried to hold back a cough before saying, “Alright alright, Brayshaw, stop provoking Mister Han Shuo!”
Brayshaw, the hermaphrodite, again revealed a bitter expression and resentfully looked at Han Shuo in silence. It was seemingly using its disgusting eyes to make reprisals for Han Shuo’s threatening display of might.
“Nambrough, come in and get Mister Han Shuo a new chair!” Nambrough ran into the hall as fast as he could and had replaced the chair in no time. However, he became noticeably startled when he saw where Han Shuo was standing.
Nambrough stared blankly for a moment before snapping out of it at Crosius’ hastening glances. Afterwards, when he was respectfully retreating himself, Crosius suddenly said in a calm voice, “Nambrough, I will no longer look into the matter about Shero regiment from three days ago.”
Nambrough was stunned for a moment. Shortly after, he hastily turned around and kowtowed. With his head touching the ground, he said, “Thank you Lord Crosius!”
When he raised his head, he took a glimpse at Crosius before revealing a pair of grateful eyes towards Han Shuo. He then respectfully backed out from the meeting hall. He understood in his heart the reason that Crosius decided not to look into the incident, was certainly owing to Han Shuo.
Han Shuo wasn’t quite clear about the rules in this War Demon Valley. Therefore, he found it rather strange when Nambrough looked at him so gratefully after he sat down. However, he did not dwell on it any further. When he was about to ask Crosius what they had been discussing, he again saw that disgusting gaze from that bitter Brayshaw sitting opposite. At once, Han Shuo shouted as he glared at Brayshaw, “Look at me like that one more time, and I will finish you right away!”
Brayshaw was alarmed, her ‘lovable’ expression suddenly changed, and her eyes immediately turned to Crosius. She no longer dared to look at Han Shuo for the fear that Han Shuo might suddenly attack and get rid of her right inside that meeting hall. Brayshaw had been in War Demon Valley for some time, and was very clear how much Crosius valued a mighty expert. An expert of Demon strength was definitely incomparable to an expert in the realm of Raksha like herself.
In the case where she was in conflict with Han Shuo, Crosius would not think twice to stand on Han Shuo’s side and sacrifice Brayshaw. Such a strategic move couldn’t be less trivial in the Abyss realm. If one wished to live a little longer, they were not to, by any means, provoke characters that they could not afford to provoke. This word to the wise was long well understood by Brayshaw.
“Mister Han Shuo, I must say, I did not expect you to have concealed your true strength all this time. Hehe, had I known earlier that Mister Han Shuo was this powerful, I would have given you the very best treatment from the start!” Crosius openly acknowledged Han Shuo’s sn.o.bbish behavior days prior. Then, looking at Brayshaw and co., he continued, “You have all witnessed Mister Han Shuo’s strength. I believe none of you will have any objection to his appointment to the position of chief of visiting advisors?”
“Absolutely not,” “Agreed, agreed,” the few visiting advisors responded in unison. Even Brayshaw, the former chief of visiting advisors, coyly declared, “Rules are rules. It is only natural that the strongest stand at the highest place. I won’t have any objection to that.”
“Very well then,” Crosius turned to gaze at Jasper standing far, far away, and instructed, “Let the records show that from this day forth, Mister Han Shuo will be the chief of visiting advisors to War Demon Valley. He shall receive the best of all treatments. The seven hundred meter manor in the south will be allocated to Mister Han Shuo as his new residence. In addition, select one young and beautiful lady from each and every race in War Demon Valley, and send them to the manor. It is their honor to be given the opportunity to serve Mister Han Shuo.”
“Yes, father,” Jasper replied and sneaked a peek at Han Shuo before hastily lowering her head to carry on with her note-taking.
“This time, War Demon Valley has run into a major crisis. Experts from Venomfang Castle are on their way here as we speak. Some of our defensive measures in the surrounding territory have been removed by experts from Venomfang Castle. They might mobilize and launch the full attack on War Demon Valley perhaps just a few days from now. Not only is the size of the invading enemy was the greatest we will have ever encountered, they even have at least two Shadow Warriors partic.i.p.ating. That’s what I’m most concerned about. Strength in the cla.s.s of Demons. On top of the master of Venomfang Castle, Yeki, there would be at least three demons. That won’t be easy for our War Demon Valley to deal with…”
Crosius explained the situation once through for Han Shuo. He revealed a rather awkward amiable smile, and said, “Luckily, we now have Mister Han Shuo on our side. With Mister Han Shuo here, our odds have now increased. As long as we can hold it until the reinforcement army arrives, our War Demon Valley will then be able to teach Venomfang Castle a good lesson.”
“Lord Crosius, which level of Demon is Yeki? And the other two known Shadow Warriors, what level of Demon are they?” Han Shuo asked with slightly bunched brows.
“Yeki’s is the same as mine, we are both level-one Demons. As for the two Shadow Warriors, their strengths are undetermined,” Crosius replied.
As he nodded his head, Han Shuo thought to himself that given his current strength, merely with the destruction lowG.o.d avatar of his, he would be able to keep all three demons under control. The crisis didn’t seem particularly difficult to manage.
“These are just the known forces of Venomfang Castle. As for whether they might employ additional fighters, we have no clue. Besides, after news of the explosion of the interplanar portal became widespread, some other experts from smaller forces had secretly crossed over. Some of them were from the other three demon kings, and some were experts with small influence. They left no clue as to what their intentions were and if they would partic.i.p.ate in the battle,” Crosius said with a deep voice as he recalled those unknown and possible threats.
“I see…” Han Shuo thought for a moment before suddenly putting on a straight face and saying to Crosius, “I know a magical matrix. As long as it is deployed outside War Demon Valley, it will surely cause enormous casualties to the enemy. However, this formation requires plenty of unique materials. I don’t know if War Demon Valley can gather them.”
Han Shuo was especially allured by a certain material unique to the Abyss realm. However, as he possessed not a dime of this world’s currency, it was none too feasible for him to obtain great quant.i.ties of those materials. However, with such a reason, he could easily justify harvesting a large amount of those substances.
“Magical matrix? What is a magical matrix?” Crosius didn’t understand the term that Han Shuo had referred.
“Erm, just like this,” Han Shuo didn’t quite know how to put in it words, and so he casually pulled out a few magic crystal ores and arranged a hexagram necromancy matrix on the floor. Under the effects of Han Shuo’s mental strength, the intense aura of death in the surroundings gathered towards the center of the star. Finally, with one thought, the magic crystal ores all exploded. The aura of death that had acc.u.mulated in the center instantly erupted with multiple folds in magnitude, rays of death soaring across the room.
After absorbing the memories of Haley the baseG.o.d, Han Shuo knew how to deploy some necromancy magic formations. The one he was demonstrating was just the most basic radiance of death. He utilized a few magic crystal ores to condense the element of death by several folds in a split second, causing them to explode to release intense death rays.
Han Shuo had deliberately arranged it so that none of the experts in the grand hall would be injured. Those stones that made up the hall were as hard as steel, but by the end of it, were left with holes big and small after the flash of light.
As the dumbstruck Crosius continued to stare at Han Shuo, he put on a smile and said, “This is just a more basic magical matrix. With sufficient materials, of the finest quality of course, its power can be further optimized to deal hundreds or thousands of times more damage!”
Crosius had shock written all over his face. He was in a daze as he looked at the holes all over the grand hall. After a long while, he suddenly turned to Jasper and solemnly instructed, “Take Mister Han Shuo to the weaponry material warehouse. Let Mister Han Shuo select and gather any goods or material he requires. If it is insufficient, I shall find a way to get more!”